In the news: Video: Phillies stars turnout for charity

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WEST CONSHOHOCKEN — Philadelphia Phillies Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley are hoping to hit one out of the park with a new fundraising endeavor launched Friday.

The ball players made an appearance in the city outskirts to help promote the first annual Philly Financial Day, where a percentage of some local business trader profits will go directly to each player’s charitable foundations.

Scattergood said more than half of Friday’s revenue generated, firm-wide, would go into a pot to be distributed among the ball players’ individual charities and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

“We’ll know at the end of the day how successful it will be,” said Scattergood.

“Institutions have an opportunity to be very generous, and we’ve got some good relationships that are here today, in person. Those individuals will endeavor to make sure part of their trading flow happens through our desk today. Let’s hope this is the first of many.”

While Scattergood said it was too soon to tell what revenues would look like, the players were optimistic.

“This is the first year we’ve had a chance to do this, so anything would be nice. We’re just creating the buzz for this year and I think the turnout has been pretty exceptional,” said Phillies’ second baseman Chase Utley.

“I think we’re going to raise a decent amount of money. Hopefully, this can lead into next year and the following years. All the money will go towards our separate foundations — mine, Shane’s, Cole’s and Jimmy’s as well — so we’re all involved and we’re having a good time doing it. Today we’re just trying to create some buzz and activity, so, so far so good.”

The Utley Foundation’s “All-Star Animals” campaign holds its flagship event in Philadelphia, a fundraiser that raises money for the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA). Utley and wife, Jen, have together raised more than $45,000 for the cause.

“We just held our fourth event this year at the end of April, and every year its gotten a little bit bigger and a little bit better,” he said.

“We’ve been able to invite more people and raise more money, which is the ultimate goal. I hope this shows that we want to definitely give back to the community that’s given so much to us.”

Phillies’ outfielder Shane Victorino said, when he heard about getting involved in Philly Financial Day, he quickly jumped on board.

“I think it’s a great opportunity, not only for us, but for Boenning & Scattergood and other companies we dealt with today,” he said.

“It’s definitely an opportunity for us to give back. (The firms) give to us and we give back to the community, so it’s a team effort. I’d love to maximize (revenues) as much as I can. People are working hard everyday to help our foundations and help their companies. It’s been wonderful to come here and raise money for our foundations and, in turn, give back to the community.”

Philly Financial Day was co-founded by Cole and Heidi Hamels, who then recruiter the other ball players to collaborate efforts. In the month leading up to the event, members of the various foundations met with leading mutual funds, hedge funds and money management firms to propose the idea.

“We’re patterning this after a program done in New York City that raised millions of dollars a year,” said CHOP Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer Stuart P. Sullivan, who thanked the Utleys for occasionally donating Phillies tickets to CHOP patients.

“Our hope is to get a good foothold this year and create a program that we can replicate next year. We had a good relationship with the Phillies to begin with, so we thought we’d be a natural partner on a day like this.”